Santos Limited announced that Keith Spence will succeed Peter Coates AO as Chairman in February 2018, at which point Mr. Coates will retire from the Board. Mr. Coates announced his intention to step down from the Board pending the recruitment of his successor at the company's AGM in May this year. Mr. Spence will join the company Board on 1 January 2018. Mr. Spence is retiring from the Board of Oil Search Limited but remains Chairman of Base Resources Limited, a Director of Independence Group NL, and Murray and Roberts Holdings Limited.